The Ministry of Defence has filed an intra-court appeal against the Supreme Court’s October 23 ruling, which declared the trial of May 9 rioters in military courts illegal.
On October 23, the Supreme Court (SC) issued a 4-1 decision on appeals against civilian trials in military courts. The chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and others filed a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the military trial of civilians named in the May 9 riots sparked by the detention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The bench, led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan and included of Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, and Justice Ayesha Malik, considered petitions challenging civilians’ trials in military courts.
The petitioner asked the Supreme Court to declare the five-judge bench’s ruling null and void and to postpone its implementation until the appeal is heard.
The latest petition comes only one day after the caretaker Sindh government challenged the Supreme Court’s decision to prohibit civilians from being tried in military courts.
According to the Sindh government’s petition, the ‘SC did not assess the law and circumstances.’
Previously, the federal government informed the Supreme Court that military courts had begun civilian cases.
In response to the court’s August 03 ruling, the administration told the top court in a miscellaneous appeal that civilian trials had begun.
According to the government’s submission to the court, 102 people were arrested after May 09 and 10 incidents.
